The crowds hold a contradictory essence, appearing both attractive and perilous. Beneath its seemingly calm exterior lies a discreet animosity, reminiscent of hidden emotions.
As one strolls through the city streets with an attitude of detached observation, there is the realization that even amidst the bustling masses, we are alone, disconnected and anonymous. Perception becomes fragmented and our senses overloaded. Much like the media spectacle that commands our attention we make choices of what to observe and engage with.
While framing the individual as part of the urban experience, the crowds in these images serve as a backdrop against the individual who struggles with alienation and search for their identity....each absorbed in their own spectacle.
“That is why I hate the crowds and the crowds,
And the streets, and the squares, and the churches,
Where the pallor of a blind and gentle people exposes itself
To the impious and slobbering rage of the priests.”
- Charles Baudelaire
Within these photographs, the essence of memory stirs. They are windows into the shared moments of our youth, fragments of a time when life was painted in the hues of innocence.
Imagine the delight of a candy store – a realm where sugared dreams mingled with reality. I can almost taste that joy again, recall the sensation of standing small amidst the crowd, surrounded by unfamiliar faces that seemed like characters from another world. Such moments linger in my mind.
But these snapshots are more than mere reflections; they are whispers of time captured in stillness. They allow us a glimpse into the world as seen through the eyes of a child, where the ordinary shimmers with hidden magic.
Celestial body-like abstractions hover and recede into the circular walls that contain them. The images fixed into Rorschach inkblots invite the viewer to both introspection and fantasy.
Derived from my grandmother’s daily practice of divination using tobacco, tea and coffee, Augurio is rooted in the rich cultural practices of the Caribbean region of Colombia and the Lebanese household where I was raised.
Capturing the timeless presence of animals amidst the bustling cityscape, these images echo the impulses that led our ancestors to adorn the walls of prehistoric caves with depictions of creatures that shared their world. This visual narrative draws parallels between those ancient markings and the contemporary imagery that graces our streets, billboards, and buildings.